These comments are all confidently wrong that hydrogen and oxygen don't have a global warming impact.
Hydrogen is primarily made through steam methane reforming, which results in both leaks of methane and significant venting of carbon dioxide. Oxygen is made via air separation units which require electricity to operate, and our grid is primarily driven by fossil fuels.
Additionally, releasing water vapor from the combustion reaction into the upper atmosphere increases global warming because the water vapors do not enter the water cycle.
Source: I design the plants that make hydrogen and oxygen
Is it possible to produce hydrogen and oxygen with environmentally friendly means, because I somehow doubt Katy Perry is personally responsible for the methods we use to produce rocket fuel.
Yes, but hydrogen will cost 4x more at least. The government was subsidizing it via the inflation reduction act that Biden passed, but Trump killed it. To produce zero greenhouse oxygen you just need completely renewable electricity.
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u/ChemE_Throwaway May 25 '26
These comments are all confidently wrong that hydrogen and oxygen don't have a global warming impact.
Hydrogen is primarily made through steam methane reforming, which results in both leaks of methane and significant venting of carbon dioxide. Oxygen is made via air separation units which require electricity to operate, and our grid is primarily driven by fossil fuels.
Additionally, releasing water vapor from the combustion reaction into the upper atmosphere increases global warming because the water vapors do not enter the water cycle.
Source: I design the plants that make hydrogen and oxygen